I’m visiting all over the Midwest during the holidays, and that means two things — snow and Christmas carols. But, thanks to the Mazda press fleet, I was able to add a new seasonal element for a few days — the 2015 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring.
That might not seem like the ideal car for winter use. It’s small, rear wheel drive and lightweight. However, if you know how to drive in the snow, ice and rain — or if you’ve been lucky enough to do some rally racing training and some winter driving course work at the Ford Winter Test Grounds up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – the MX-5 is the perfect car said winter use precisely for those same stated reasons. It’s small, rear wheel drive and lightweight.
“And, since I had places to go, let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow…”
I returned the 2015 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring to the Mazda fleet in the same pristine order I received it, except maybe for some salty slush I got stuck up in the wheel wells having an absolutely shameful blast driving it through some of those unusually early, Polar Vortex snow storms. But, that doesn’t mean I behaved well enough to earn a gold star. I had only a few days to enjoy the MX-5, and I enjoyed it by violating some of the street laws smiled on by the Church of Rome.
Related: 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Picks Up Attitude
I’ve reviewed and otherwise covered the new MX-5 both in road tests and on track. So, I won’t go over all of the specs again. To sum up those reviews, I consistently describe it as an enthusiasts’ or driver’s car that makes absolutely no sense on any level beyond pure driving fun. It’s not overly comfortable.
As a roadster, it rides tough and highly sensitive to allow the driver to feel the road. It’s too small to carry anything but your own arse and your date. It’s noisy, eager little engine sucks up gas faster than a lot of power plants its size because it’s too busy powering the car and not saving the planet. The car exists only to provide fun transportation. There may be no better environment to prove that than in the snow.
“Silent night…Ruined by me…Nothing is calm…”
The Mazda Miata weighs less than a single reindeer and has a wheel base shorter than a red wagon. It’s a car that’s built to be rotated instead of turned at every opportunity. When you have a goodly amount of snow, ice or slush on the streets, you can essentially drift and power slide about the metropolitan streets.
I don’t recommend you do this because its less than legally desirable. But if you choose to disobey, I recommend letting loose in a less-trafficked area later in the evening.
“Oh, it’s lovely weather for doing donuts together with you…”
I did tire testing a couple years ago in a racing-spec Miata and can testify that you can go around in donut circles on any skid plane in an MX-5 until you make your passenger nauseous. If you can find a frozen parking lot, you can teach your nephew to do the same thing. Mission accomplished.
All of this assorted silliness is a long form way of saying there are faster cars. There are more powerful cars. There are more sensible cars, but there may be no car that provides more raw driving fun than a Miata.
When you throw in the fact that it’s the Grand Touring is a sub $25,000 convertible with a manual transmission, and it’s the coolest car in that price range (in any season).
